Modified starches played a significant role in fat-reduction products during the 1990s, and many blended fat replacers in dairy applications, baking applications and meat applications were based on them. In processed meat products, like hot dogs, says Maningat, acid-modified wheat starch binds moisture, imparts desirable firmness and maintains cook-yield properties. Acid-modified wheat starch, in combination with cross-linked/substituted wheat starch, helps develop the texture and firmness of imitation mozzarella cheese. Both starches improve melt and stretch properties and mask the casein flavor of the cheese analog. Microwave products can introduce new challenges, requiring starch to maintain crispness in snack products or act as stabilizers to minimize viscosity breakdown when frozen products are reheated. Dry mixes require other starch characteristics for rapid ingredient dispersion, good viscosity development and then viscosity stabilization, if the product is heated.